Jay Taft: Now not time for even-keeled calmness that comes with Marc Trestman

Saturday

Dec 7, 2013 at 5:11 PM

So it's come down to this for the Chicago Bears: Lose any of last four, and kiss the playoffs goodbye. But right now that sense of urgency doesn't seem to be there.

Jay Taft Staff writer @jaytaft

The Chicago Bears have taken on the personality of their new head coach this year when it comes to the "one-day-at-a-time" philosophy that has floated around since Day 1 for Marc Trestman and his staff.It's worked well, for all of them. Up to this point.

"The demeanor of our team has been so consistent, and the energy level has been so consistent during the week, that I really don't know that winning or losing has affected them," Trestman said after today's practice at Halas Hall, in preparation for Monday night's home game against Dallas. "They've been able to find a way to gather their strength back and get refreshed enough to come back."

But now the Bears stand at 6-6, at the edge of the cliff and looking down. A loss on Monday, or in any of their remaining four games, will most likely mean another long, playoff-free offseason. And coming off a two-game losing skid, it's time for a little sense of urgency.Right Coach Trestman?

"The questions are right. We haven't been able to get it done at key times," Trestman said. "These are quality guys, they know how to put the past behind them and move forward quickly. And we've done it this week, and we expect to bounce back on Monday night."

But this is one of those times when it calls for a little panic; a little nervous tension to amp up the importance of everything you do. I believe these are the kind of games when an athlete digs down and finds everything he has to get a win.

It's not just "another game." Some of the Bears seem to agree, but they may not be showing it on the outside.

"We understand our situation at hand. That's just coaches' style, that's just coaches' philosophy. I'm not knocking it, I'm buying into it. I'm all in, you know," veteran offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod said while sitting next to his locker after today's practice out in the cold. "This team is all in, we've just got to fight to get it done. We control our own destiny. We need to go in and do the things we need to do."

But they haven't been able to do the things they've needed to do of late. The Bears were 4-2 and the offense was clicking less than two months ago. Now they're 6-6, and will be all but eliminated from playoff race with another loss.

There is always hope that Detroit will collapse, but the Bears and their fans cannot count on that. They have to believe that the only way to lengthen their season is by winning four in a row, starting Monday. To me, that calls for a little bit of soul searching and a little more focus than the average week on the job. Bushrod agrees – I think?

"We're fighting, we're fighting for everything, we're fighting for one of the last spots in the playoffs, and we know we're going to need some help from some other teams," Bushrod added. "But all we can control is what we do, and where we can take this team. Our effort and all of that good stuff, that's what's going to take us where we want to go."